The New York Times reports that the refusal to sell the movies is part of an ongoing attempt to gain leverages with high-profile suppliers. Of course, negotiations and disputes with suppliers are nothing new, but Amazon's bloody-minded resolve is something else. Indeed, holding out to the point of not offering movies for preorders is at odds with the company's long-stated desire to sell everything to everybody

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In the past, Amazon has insisted that while "suppliers get to decide the terms under which they are willing to sell to a retailer" it's "reciprocally the right of a retailer to determine whether the terms on offer are acceptable and to stock items accordingly." It ultimately defends itself by explaining that when it negotiates with suppliers—which also means not selling their products— it's "doing so on behalf of customers."

That's certainly not how it feels for customers, though. The Times reports that some customers noticed Amazon stop taking pre-orders for Warner movies in mid-May, and since there's been a flurry of outrage on the company's forums. It's currently unclear how this dispute—and the one with Hachette—will pan out. In the meantime, you better find somewhere else to buy the Lego movie. [New York Times]